Continuous Roadwork has Drivers Fired Up

Police said an ongoing road project in Schuylkill County has not only caused major backups, but road rage and crashes too.

The McAdoo interchange of Interstate 81 has been shut down for months. When you travel the ramps you won’t see vehicles, but the road has a new surface and a new coat of paint. Therefore, some wonder why the interchange is still closed.

It’s closed because there are still some final parts of the work to do.

Another part of the project includes New Jersey barriers; concrete barriers, which are much higher than the old ones to keep traffic separated. With the interchange closed traffic backs up in McAdoo. That has led to frayed nerves.

“We’ve had an increasing amount of road rage, an increasing amount of traffic accidents, yes. Rear-enders, intersections, we’ve just experienced a lot more traffic accidents,” said Chief Jeff Wainwright of the McAdoo Police Department.

Joe Kelly said he has given up on driving through the community and walks more because of the traffic.

Juan Melendez owns the McAdoo Diner. He blames his 50 percent drop in business to the traffic congestion. He said there is another problem as well, dirt.

“I noticed a lot of pollution in here. Every week I have to wipe the tables, my rag, this one get really dark, horrible,” said Juan Melendez of the McAdoo Diner.

There is some good news for Juan and drivers. PennDOT predicts the McAdoo interchange will open within two and a half weeks.